Antisweep anchorage for mines of the marine type



April 30, 1946. c. s. ALLEN,-JR

ANTISWEEP ANCHORAGE FOR MINES OF THE MARINE TYPE Filed Nov. 17, 1942 Patented Apr. 30, 1%46 UNITED ST TES PATENT or ies ANTISWEEP AN CHORAGE FOR MINES '0 THE MARINE TYPE Charles S. Allen, Jr., Greenville, S. C. Application'November 17, 1942, Serial No. 465,915

1 Claim.

This invention has reference generally to improvements in that class of inventions known as ammunition and explosive devices, and more particularly relates to an anti-sweep anchorage for mines of the marine type.

It is the primary aim and object of the present invention to provide a device of the above character interposed in the anchoring cable at a suitable point between the anchor and the mine to act as a means for releasing a sweeping cable after the sweeping cable has engaged the anchoring cable in order to prevent the mine from being disturbed.

More particularly, the invention embraces the provision of a device of the above character embodying generally a spoked cable releasing wheel having a circular track for operatively receiving roller members, the wheel being adapted for connection with one section of the cable while the roller members are adapted for connection with the other section of the cable, the diameter of the roller members being less than the length of the spokes of the wheel so as to insure the passage of the sweeping cable thereby after it has been engaged with the anchoring cable.

Other objects, as well as the nature characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claim forming a part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective detail showing one form of the device in operation, the dotted lines showing positions assumed by the sweeping cable as it engages the anchoring cable of the mine and the cable releasing means, the full lines showing the sweeping cable after it has been released from the anchoring cable.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the improved anti-sweeping or cable releasing means.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken in a plane at right angles to Figure 2, while Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modification.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated in Figure 1 a mine I of the marine type which is anchored to the bottom of the body of water by means of an anchor 2 and a cable 3 which is interposed between the anchor and the mine and serves to hold the mine normally and generally in a submerged position beneath the water. Interposed in the cable is the improved anti-sweeping or cable releasing means generally designated 4, the purpose of which is to allow the passage of a sweeping cable 5 which is dragged in a looped manner through the water by means of boats 6, from one side of the cable 3 to the other without actually disturbing the position of the mine I.

The improved anti-sweeping or cable releasing means t may be said to consist of a sectional cable releasing wheel I, the spokes 8 of the sections of which are maintained in registration by suitable fastening devices 9 which pass through the hub portions of the wheel sections and through bossed portions or spacing members Ill. The wheel is provided with a circular track and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the sections are shaped to form a cage and includes an internal circular raceway near its periphery and this raceway is preferably provided by bending the outer ends of the spokes 8 inwardly toward each other as at l I to form a divided circular track, while operating on this track and within the cage is a rolling means, in this instance in the form of a pair of rollers l2 rotatably mounted on a small axle [3 carried by the upper end of a hanger member M, the opposite end of which latter is connected to that portion of the cable 3 leading to the anchor 2, the hanger member passing between the spaces between the opposed inturned portions of opposed spokes which form the divided track. A hanger l 5 in the form of a fork is connected with that part of the cable 2 leading to the mine while the arms of the fork are preferably arranged on the outside of the wheel and receive an axle I6 on which the sectional wheel I is mounted, as clearly shown in the drawing. The ends of the axle l6 have mounted thereon suitable retaining elements such as nuts l'l which are removably engaged therewith for assembly purposes. Obviously the device could be readily inverted; that is, the hanger l4 may be connected to the upper section of the mine cable while the hanger I 5 may be connected to the lower section, the main point being the fact that the slots between the spokes or teeth of the wheel are of greater depth than the diameter of the rollers 12, so that when the sweeping cable 5 is engaged in one of the slots between adjacent spokes it will pass by the rollers and thereby be moved from one side of the cable 3 to the other without disturbing the mine.

In Figure 4 there is shown a slightly modified form of the arrangement in which the spoked wheel 1 is formed in a single piece and includes a thickened hub which is axially and rotatably axles I3 which are journaled in the upper ends 7 of the arms of a U-shaped fork-like hanger I4 The hangers I4 and I5 of course, are adapted to be connected with the cable sections leading. to the anchor and the mine, as in the form shown in Figures 2 and 3.

In operation, assuming that the parts have been assembled as described with particular reference to Figure 1, it will be noted that when the sweeping cable 5 first engages the anchoring cable 3 it will slide up the latter to the release device 4 where it will engage one of the slots between the spokes 8 and cause a rotation of the wheel 1 and willpass over the rollers I2 and thence to the other side of the cable 3, as shown in full lines, allowing the mine to substantially remain in its original set position.

It is believed in view of the foregoingdescription that a further detailed description of the operation of the inventionis entirely unnecessary. Likewise, it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

An anti-sweeping anchorage for mines and the like including a mine anchoring cable divided into sections and sweeping cable releasing means interposed between the anchoring cable sections including U-shaped anchoring members connected to the adjacent ends of the divided cable the length of the spokes of the wheel.

CHARLES s. ALLEN, JR. 

